Relief Funds

When faced with difficult challenges, dentists and their families are not alone. The CDA Foundation continues to provide aid to lessen financial hardship for dentists and their families in times of need due to advanced age, physically debilitating illness, accident or natural disaster.

Take CDA member dentist Dr. John Lundgren and his wife, Lou. The Lundgren’s served as missionaries by practicing dentistry among the remote villages in the jungles of Honduras for more than 15 years, dedicated to improving the oral health of the people in those communities. In 1999, the Lundgren family made the decision to return to the United States where he resumed his dental practice. Sadly, shortly after their return, Dr. Lundgren was diagnosed with kidney disease and underwent quadruple bypass surgery.

Then in 2000, Dr. Lundgren received a successful kidney transplant, yet escalating medical costs which included 18 different medications averaging $500-$600 per month outside of insurance, seven medical specialists and the devastating diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease Related Dementia (ADRD) in 2002 found the Lundgren Family running out of resources.

The Lundgren’s turned to CDA for help. They were directed to the CDA Foundation’s Relief Fund. Shortly after applying, the Lundgren’s received $500 per month in 2003-04 and their grant was renewed the next year. Dr. Lundgren passed away in early 2005, but left a grateful family and a remarkable legacy of dedicated service to underserved individuals both here and abroad.
Mrs. Lundgren reflected on the CDA Foundation Relief Fund assistance as “a blessing and a Godsend when we needed it the most.”

Since 2001, the CDA Foundation has provided more than $100,000 in aid for dentists and their families like the Lundgrens, which was matched dollar for dollar, by the American Dental Association Foundation.

The CDA Foundation works ardently to develop additional resources for this invaluable assistance program.

Contribute to the CDA Foundation Relief Fund.